Lime water and Coraline Algae

beachsidereefer · Feb 26, 2016

Hi Folks,

Over the past month I've been experimenting with dosing lime water along with BRS two part to maintain a PH of 8.2-8.3 and keep my ALK and CA levels closer to 9 dKH and 430 PPT CA. Concerning maintaining levels it's still a struggle to keep my numbers up but my PH is staying more consistent around 8.2 where before it was staying low hovering around 8.0 and less.

One observation I've made is my coraline algae growth has dramatically increased and the color is a much deeper purple and pleasing to the eye.

So my question is have others observed similar results? Is there something in lime water that the coraline is feeding on to delivering better growth and coloration or is it more likely I'm doing a better job of maintaining the required ALK and CA levels which is what is really driving what I'm seeing.

nervousmonkey · Feb 26, 2016

Both.

The coralline algae are feeding on the alk and the CA and they like that you are doing a better job maintaining their dinner so they're giving you the thumbs up by turning deeper purple.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 26, 2016

The high pH may help the coralline, along with elevated alkalinity. in general, those things help calcifying organisms, and coralline is nearly all skeleton.

Magnesium on the high end may help too, but the limewater isn't adding any of that. Coralline is among the highest in the proportion of magnesium it puts into its calcium carbonate skeletons.

I don't think there is anything else likely in it that helps coralline.

beachsidereefer · Feb 29, 2016

Thanks Randy for all your help over the past month!

I learned an important lesson through this journey and it's more important to see results and not chase numbers. Seems like now I'm on the right track as it appears my corals and especially Coralline algae is really taking off!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 29, 2016

That's great!

You're welcome and Happy Reefing.

Adam Obenauf · Feb 29, 2016

There could also be impurities common in kalkwasser that help. Strontium for example. I have observed the same behavior as OP and my Ca/Alk/PH were pretty much the same when I was dosing two part with NaCO3.